By the time we reach the end of the present age, things will look a lot different than they do now. We probably won’t recognize ourselves but that can and should be seen as being a good and necessary thing in a world gone mad. When we speak of eschatological issues we are piecing together puzzle pieces, but the thing is we ourselves are living puzzle pieces that are part of God’s glorious plan. ‘It does not yet appear what we shall be.” [1]
Often we focus on this apocalyptic event or that alignment of countries to herald the advent of the end. No doubt these things are important, but what is more important is the state of the Bride, the Lord’s people, that will be presented to Himself in full, bridal array. All preparations really point to this glorious wedding party–the rest, in some sense–is just necessary detail.
It is the Spirit and the Bride who say, “Come!”. [2] This cry is the love song that heaven responds to! The Bridegroom is not listening for the speech of a world leader who has suddenly become possessed by the Evil One, He is listening for our heartfelt cries for Him to return.
One sure thing must happen to the bride before she can truly call for the Bridegroom: she must be absolutely united in purpose and pure in heart. All lesser agendas and allegiances must be given up. Beloved ones of God, do you see how we can hasten the Day of the Lord? Evil does not get to dictate the Lord’s hand as is commonly thought. How could we think it could? Peter writes that we ought to conduct ourselves in holiness and godliness to hasten that Day.[3] There is a lot to be said for being “in one accord.” At Pentecost the disciples were waiting in one accord.[4] The coming of the Holy Spirit changed the ones who waited and the destiny of the world.
Now we are waiting upon our Lord to return. He is not coming back for a divided Bride who is distracted with partisan politics, conspiracy theories, denominationalism, elitist attitudes, intolerance for other believers, spiritual grandstanding, territorial resource hoarding, and every foul thing that divides us as believers. It is we who must purge out all that divides us or a winnowing fork will come and do it for us. I am not saying that we should align ourselves with the heretical, the demonic, or that which is born of the flesh–I am talking about the true church uniting to prepare for the coming of her Lord and King. Perhaps that church will be known by her willingness to lay her own life, ideas, and plans down to prepare the way of the Lord–even as John the Baptist did as he heralded the first coming of Jesus.
Jesus says, “If we try to save our life, we will lose it.”[5] How do we “save” our lives? By exalting our own desires, needs, and wants above those of the Heavenly Bridegroom who has already proved Himself selfless in His utter servanthood. He has earned the right to have it His way! His ways are only good and have been forged and proved in the furnace of unutterable affliction for our sakes! All of our self-seeking, our lethargy, and our tolerance of the status quo –everything that does not require everything of us and in us to form the deep cry of “Come, Lord Jesus” must now be sacrificed. There is no place for a half-hearted sacrifice on a temporary altar. In past years God overlooked our spiritual acedia. Now He is looking to see who is still awake and waiting for Him at the end of the age.
Do you remember Jesus musing as He reviews a future scene ”When I return will I find faith in the earth?” [6] Make it your life goal to make sure He is able to answer a whole-hearted yes to that! He alone is able to accomplish it, but he accomplishes it WITH us and not by force. He is looking to see if the sleeping virgins have fallen asleep with their lamps full. The disciples of Jesus fell asleep in Gethsemane at the hour that He needed them most. Let us not make a similar mistake at this crucial hour in history. Evil is not running the world, God is. Evil has been Let loose for a season for reasons God only fully understands. The real scenario is the bridal preparations for the greatest wedding party the universe has yet seen. We are not powerless onlookers–we are powerful agents of the coming Kingdom.
What will hurt us is the division our enemy is trying to sow among us. If only he can turn us against each other, it will be easy for him to then turn us against God. He will not succeed but he will vehemently try and we must not be ignorant of his devices: pride, distraction, and tribal partisanship. Of course, we gather together locally in identifiable groups, but we must not separate our hearts from other brothers and sisters because of petty, non-essential, theological squabbles; jealousy of the success of nearby ministries; suspicion of the motives of fellow workers; or self-seeking in building our empires.
Our hearts WILL be tested. Truth be told they already are being tested. One of the final admonitions of the book of Revelation is this:
Let the unjust be unjust still, and he which is filthy let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy be holy still” [7]
This should sober us to our knees. You and I are in the process right now– filthy on our way to more filthiness or righteous and holy on our way to greater holiness and righteousness! Remember the parable of the invited wedding guests who were not dressed properly?[8] Our call is to utter abandonment to the purposes of God in this last hour. Be found dressed in white–full of holy zeal and righteous character. Time is running out. A refiner’s fire approaches!
Maranatha!
Rose-Marie Slosek came to know the Lord in the early seventies and has a passion for organic church and the maturing of the Body of Christ. She serves on the Emmaus Online Lead Team, leads Maranatha Northeast, and a local home fellowship. She can be reached at rmslosek@comcast.net.
